My first table WIP

[m4paws]

Cool word

LOL! I thought about that when I typed it because my spell-checker didn't recognize it, but it felt good at the time...

 

[Kiaininja]

Sure m4paws, I would like to see the tilt feature coding but in a ...

...[B]programmatically [/B]code wrap like this...

...if you can.

Here's a pic of the uncencored table version so far:

 

[m4paws]

Ok I'll try. Hopefully I don't miss anything...

Overview: I added two variables - tilted and tiltmeter. tilted is a true / false variable which contains whether the machine is tilted or not. tiltmeter is how close the machine is to tilting - at 0 it's at rest, as you nudge it it increases - at 4 it tilts. I also added a timer (called tilt) to allow the tilt mechanism to settle down, otherwise 4 nudges at any point would tilt the table.

First, I Dimmed the new variables.

Dim tilted, tiltlevel

Then I initialized them in the table init code.

    tilted = false
    tiltlevel = 0

Then I added a timer named tilt. The timer interval controls how easy it is to tilt - the higher the number the easier it is to tilt (because it takes longer to "forget" about the previous nudge). I set it at 2000, you'll likely want to tweak that number. Basically what is going to happen is each time the table is nudged, tiltlevel will increase by 1, and each timer interval the tiltlevel will decrease by 1. A bit hard to explain, I hope you follow the logic...

Next I changed the flipper code to check the tilted variable to see if the machine was tilted or not before allowing the flippers to flip. We haven't programmed the tilted variable yet, but we will in a minute...

	If keycode = LeftFlipperKey and tilted = false Then
		LeftFlipper.RotateToEnd
		PlaySound "FlipperUp"
	End If
    
	If keycode = RightFlipperKey and tilted = false Then
		RightFlipper.RotateToEnd
		PlaySound "FlipperUp"
	End If

I added a sound called "tilt" to the sound manager so you'd be alerted when the table tilted. Then I edited the code for the nudges as shown below. I also changed it so you can't nudge the machine when it's tilted. I'll only show the left nudge code here, but I did the same for center and right nudge. I guess the more complicated you make the tilt handler (turning off lights, deadening bumpers, etc, none of which I did here) the more inefficient this is and you might want write a tilt handler sub instead. With only 3 lines of tilt handler code, I didn't bother.

	If keycode = LeftTiltKey and tilted = false Then
		Nudge 90, 2
		TiltMeter.AddValue(4) ' TiltMeter animation '
 		tilt.enabled = true
 		tiltlevel = tiltlevel + 1
 		if tiltlevel > 4 then tilted = true: playsound "tilt"
	End If

I then added code to reset the tilted variable when the ball drained.

Sub Drain_Hit()
     tilted = false

Last is the timer routine, to control how the whole tiltmeter concept I detailed earlier works. Basically as time passes it reduces the tiltlevel until it hits zero, at which point it turns off the timer.

Sub tilt_Timer()
 	 tiltlevel = tiltlevel - 1
 	 if tiltlevel <= 0 then tilt.enabled = false
End Sub

I hope that's everything. I wanted the tiltmeter variable to control which reel in the tilt bubble displayed, but the order of the images in the reel made that a bit difficult so I skipped it.

Let me know if this makes any sense.

 

[Kiaininja]

Thanks m4paws the tilt code worked nicely . And how would you like the order of the tilt reel images to be? I can easily redo them, if you want.

 

[m4paws]

Thanks m4paws the tilt code worked nicely

Holy crap!

And how would you like the order of the tilt reel images to be? I can easily redo them, if you want.

Depends on what the concept of the meter was... I was thinking at rest the meter would be at the bottom, each nudge would push it up a level and at the top it would tilt... Then for each time the tiltmeter variable it updated you could display the appropriate reel in the tilt bubble.

(But it's your table, isn't it about how you want it?)

 

[Kiaininja]

The concept of the tilt meter I'm using was to simulate the green liquid bubble that I've seen on some machines to visually show nugde. I know what really measures the tilt is a weight thingy and ring. And I'm always open for tips for improving my VP table making that's why I ask what you ment with order of tilt reel images, I'll probably use it in a sci-fi table I'm thinking of making next.

 

[m4paws]

If you mean the level bubble, that's not really part of any tilt mech, it's just used to help level the feet on the machine. I guess nudging the machine would make it move, but it would fall back to level very quickly. It would also be very difficult to imagine such a bubble moving away from you - that would require the back end of the machine to lift...

 

[Kiaininja]

Oh, got it. I guess I'll update the bubble reel to reflect that more accurate. I still like the tilt meter idea but I'll draw it looking more like a meter next time.

 

[Kiaininja]

Almost finished with uncensored table, just a little more testing. Added a couple more pinup voices and toggle pinups overlay :D .

 

[faralos]

well the weight thingy and ring was just one type. another type was a double rail and a standard pinball that rolled down it (up it?) when it hit the end it would make the end piece connect with another metal wall making the two touch, resulting in a completed connection. so in essence one could shake the hell outta' the pin side to side and not tilt it, but if you picked up the front end the ball would roll along the track. guess that's why the pin co's. switched to the weight in the ring type, as these picked up on sideways movements too. but if I recall correctly some pins had both of these inside...(it's been 25+ yrs. since I've worked on these)
here's an idea, can you make two of those bubble types at a 90 degree angle to each other, hence making a cross! then you could center the bubble and any strong nudge would send it in any direction resulting in a tilt warning

 

[Kiaininja]

A preview of my next table.

I'm working on my next VP-Original table which is a sci-fi theme. I am taking my time making it just to give as much detail to the art as I can and learning. The following pic is of the table, I still have a lot to do and might rework some of the textures.

 

[faralos]

kewl! um that spinner in the upper left how does the ball get thru it? is there a kicker hole I'm missing up there? just wondering, LOVE the electric green colour! and you may think of tossing in a pop bumper or two to make the table more than just 4 drop targets and a kicker hole and one ramp, but hey it's your table, and btw I love your first one! great job!! welcome to the club, you are definitely a good, becoming better all the time pinhead coder!! (that's a compliment, as we're all pinheads here!) oh that egg doesn't block the scoring does it?